Emmy-Nominated Chris Folkens to Direct the Evening
Press Release – LOS ANGELES (Nov. 22, 2016) – The Trevor Project today announced that Facebook will be honored with the 20/20 Visionary Award and Ingrid Nilsen will receive the Trevor Digital Innovator Award at TrevorLIVE Los Angeles on Dec. 4. TrevorLIVE LA, which will be special guest-directed by Chris Folkens, is an irreverent evening of comedy and music to help raise awareness of suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ young.
Attendees include special Trevor Hero honoree Kelly Osbourne, Dermot Mulroney, Kathryn Hahn, Jay Duplass, Ariel Winter, Lance Bass, Paula Abdul, Margaret Cho, Dan Bucatinsky, Joey Graceffa, Noah Galvin, Our Lady J, Lana Parrilla, Ross Mathews, Lisa Vanderpump, Pauley Perrette, Jeffrey Bowyer Chapman, Jay R. Ferguson, Shira Lazar, Chloe Grace Moretz, Hudson Yang, Bebe Wood, Chloe Grace Moretz, Brian Justin Crum, Ty Herndon, Matt Shively, Trace Lysette, Joey Pollari, Dana Goldberg, J.J. Totah, Paul Katami, Jeff Zarrillo, Hayden Byerly, and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles.
Facebook will receive The Trevor Project’s 20/20 Visionary Award, an honor that goes a corporation that publicly supports the LGBTQ community and works to advance an empowering future-focused message for LGBTQ young people and their allies nationwide.
“A leader in the ever-changing digital media landscape, Facebook has been a powerful social media tool for The Trevor Project to connect with LGBTQ youth,” said Abbe Land, Executive Director and CEO of The Trevor Project. “Facebook has been active in advocating for equality around the world and is committed to fostering a safe and trusted environment that gives people the freedom to express their opinions and viewpoints.”
In 2010, Facebook created a “network of Support” to help them effectively address issues faced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, in which The Trevor Project was included as a team member in this educational initiative to provide better resources for LGBT teens. The company has gone on public record to oppose legislation limiting LGBTQ rights or to support their advancement, whether in different states or federally, U.S. Supreme Court proceedings, and in support of gay marriage.
“At Facebook, we value the impact that every individual can have when being true to themselves, and we aim to build a community where everyone can express themselves as who they truly are,” said Alex Schultz, Facebook’s VP of Growth Marketing, Analytics & i18n. “We stand proudly behind the LGBTQ community as we fight together for fairness and equality, and we are humbled to accept an award that recognizes this effort.”
The Trevor Project will also present the Trevor Digital Innovator Award to Ingrid Nilsen, a lifestyle expert, online video personality, and advocate for LGBTQ equality.
“With a powerful social presence, Ingrid has used technology for the better and built a platform and voice to advocate for equality,” said Land. “She is a role model of her generation and truly is a beacon of hope. She continues to push boundaries and believes in the mission of The Trevor Project, making her the perfect fit for the Trevor Digital Innovator Award.”
Nilsen was named a Change Ambassador to the UN focusing on the global fight for gender equality and was recently featured in the 2016 OUT 100 list. She has amassed over 7 million followers across all her social channels and over 4 million subscribers on her YouTube channel alone.
Award-winning filmmaker and Emmy-nominated commercial and music video director Chris Folkens will guest-direct the evening. Under his banner of Mystic Films, he has made films that have appeared in leading film festivals worldwide and garnered several awards. Folkens also directs and edits on-air and in-cinema promo content for a variety of clients, including Disney/ABC Television Group and has worked with a broad array of A-list talent. Folkens’ vision is to utilize his work to bring compelling transformational messages that unify and inspire the world.
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